Local icons return to hometown as coaches at FAMU

Twenty years and a boatload of touchdowns have passed since Willie Simmons and Alex Jackson last stepped on Corry Field for a competitive football game.

However, upon making a left-hand turn onto West King Street in Quincy, those nostalgic feelings of yesteryear quickly resurfaced for the former Shanks High School legends.

As the former star quarterback (Simmons) and offensive lineman (Jackson) walked off the bus Saturday afternoon, the Florida A&M football coaches were greeted with hearty cheers, ear-to-ear smiles and warm hugs from local residents who still uphold them with the highest regard.

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Watch: FAMU HC Willie Simmons is the toast of the town in Quincy. The Gadsden County native returned to Corry Field for a FAMU scrimmage.
Rory Sharrock, Tallahassee Democrat

Since their hay day, their alma mater has been converted to Shanks Middle School. However, the setting was all too familiar.

The smell of the cut grass.

The noise from the door slamming in the locker room.

These sights and sounds made the hometown heroes feel as if they were time travelers of an era gone by.

When they last played on the Gadsden County gridiron, they were wide-eyed boys with a bright future ahead of them.

This past weekend, the famed duo returned as grown men who've fulfilled their potential from an athletic and personal standpoint. Simmons is the Rattlers' head coach; Jackson the offensive coordinator under his good friend. The fanfare and glorious praises served as the backdrop for Florida A&M's first scrimmage of the season.

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Watch: Willie Simmons and Alex Jackson talk about returning to their old stomping grounds of Quincy for FAMU's scrimmage.
Rory Sharrock, Tallahassee Democrat

A crowd of 1,051 people filled the area in and around Corry Field to watch the Rattlers showcase their skills from the first full week of practice.

"The biggest benefit is for the young kids from Gadsden County who might've been told you can't make it out of these parts," Simmons said.

"To see two successful young men who went to the same elementary schools, same middle schools, grew up in the same neighborhood, ate at the same Burger King right up the street. To be able to have them see us and the love and support we received, was the biggest benefit I got from the day."

Jackson expressed the same level of jubilee over the outpouring of love.

"This surpassed my wildest dreams. I'm coaching at FAMU and I'm back home in front of my family and friends," Jackson said. "Great showing of support. I'm looking forward to the growth and impact on our community, program and institution."

Although the emotions were on high, Simmons and the staff made sure the players stayed on an even keel. The primary business at hand was football and to gauge the team's progress.

FAMU ran a total of 85 plays between first, second and third-stringers.

The first scrimmage of the season featured an assortment of dashing runs, pancake blocks and bone-jarring tackles.

There were also mental lapses with penalties and turnovers which stopped the momentum.

However, the staff was pleased with how the team withstood the heat and performed under real-game simulations.

"The guys competed on both sides of the ball. It was a physical scrimmage. Offensively, we made some plays and that's something to build upon," Simmons said.

"There were too many penalties on first down. This offense is predicated on moving the chains. There were costly turnovers in the red zone. Most of them were from the freshman quarterbacks. They're bright young men and they'll learn from their mistakes. The positives definitely outweighed the negatives in the scrimmage."

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Quincy native Alex Jackson observes the action on the field. Jackson is a graduate of Shanks High School and now serves as offense coordinator/offensive line coach at FAMU.(Photo: Rory Sharrock/Democrat)

Incumbent starting quarterback Ryan Stanley is growing more comfortable with the offense on a daily basis. During his stints, the strong-armed signal-caller effectively scanned the field and unleashed darts to open targets.

Stanley finished the afternoon with two touchdown passes.

"The first touchdown was one of our big-time plays," Stanley said. "Coach Simmons stresses about my reads. My read key told me that middle field was open, take that middle seam. My coaching paid off and we got the touchdown."

In addition to adjusting to a new offense, some players are having to learn the nuances of a different position.

During the spring, Kevin Newman and Azende Rey made the switch from running back to wide receiver. In the first scrimmage, they showed their athleticism to excel lining up in the slot and outside.

"Those two guys are unselfish football players," Simmons said.

"Kevin Newman is a senior. He's done a phenomenal job for us. His versatility gives us a chance to be multiple on offense and create mismatches across the field. The same thing can be said about Azende Rey. He has a running back's body and he's very tough to tackle. He has soft hands and he's really bought in to being a wide receiver."

From left to right: Former Shanks High School coach Andy Gay, FAMU head coach Willie Simmons, former Shanks High School offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ray Matthews and FAMU offensive coordinator Alex Jackson. This foursome enjoyed many highlights as coaches and players in the late 1990s at Corry Field. Rory Sharrock/Democrat

Football head coach Willie Simmons (second from the right) celebrates with members of the Gadsden County chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association. From left to right: Karla Brown, Dwayne Corker (chapter president), Theresa Moore and Patricia Hinson. Submitted photo

Playing against Simmons' offense makes defenders scamper around trying to cover their territory. However, the starters rose to the occasion and made the hits to minimize any damage.

"I like the way we came out initially," said defensive back Terry Jefferson, who caught an interception in the scrimmage. "Toward the end, we gave up a few plays. But throughout the entire scrimmage, I like the way we carried ourselves, flying around and having run."

At the conclusion of the scrimmage, a special guest was invited to address the team.

Andy Gay, who coached Simmons and Jackson in high School, gave the final remarks of the day. During his heartfelt commentary, Gay talked to the players about loving football, listening to their coaches, unity and believing in one another.

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Watch: FAMU HC Willie Simmons invites his former high school coach Andy Gay to speak to the team after the scrimmage in Quincy.
Rory Sharrock, Tallahassee Democrat

Local and FAMU officials were pleased with the turnout at Corry Field. Representatives from the city and university hope to establish this as an annual event.

"We certainly appreciate coach Simmons and the entire FAMU staff for coming here and giving to our community," said Maurice Stokes, principal at Shanks Middle School. "For our students to see a local person do something is remarkable. A lot of people talk. He's actually showing he supports us."

FAMU resumes its daily practice schedule this week.

The Rattlers will compete in their second scrimmage on Saturday at newly-resurfaced Bragg Memorial Stadium.